PennDOT reveals plans for Harmony bridges

June 23, 2011

The first of two bridges located on Route 310 is scheduled for replacement next year, with the project to conclude in 2013. The first bridge will be rebuilt with concrete, while the second bridge will be replaced with a galvanized box culvert.
(Photo by Larry McGuire/The Punxsutawney Spirit)

HARMONY â€” PennDOT held a public meeting at the Elk Run fire hall Wednesday to display plans for the proposed replacement of Harmony bridges No. 1 and No. 2, Route 310, in Young Township.

Ray Smith, PennDOT project manager, said the first bridge will be replaced with a concrete bridge, and the second will be replaced with a galvanized box culvert.

Smith said the bridge project is supposed to be bid in December, with construction to begin in April. Completion is scheduled for the fall of 2012.

About 2,360 vehicles travel Route 310 on a daily basis, Smith said, and the bridge replacement project will entail single-lane phased construction with traffic signals at each bridge.

Smith said itâ€™s nice to have a detour around a project so it may be completed quickly, rather than with single-lane construction and traffic signals.

â€śThe one disadvantage is that motorists donâ€™t like detours,â€ť he said. â€śGraffius Avenue bridge received some temporary repairs several years ago until it could get on the Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) and will be torn out within the next few weeks.â€ť

There will be some work done this fall on the Elk Run bridge, with construction scheduled to begin in 2013, Baltz said. A major improvement for the Elk Run project is the construction of a left-hand turning lane on Route 119. Baltz said PennDOT will also widen the intersection.

The removal of a house from the intersection of Route 119 and Route 310 has really opened up the sight lines for that intersection, Baltz said.
Smith said there will be no sidewalks included on either the bridge or culvert, since there arenâ€™t many pedestrians who use it.

The final design wonâ€™t be concluded until the contractor builds the new bridge, he said.